All language subtitles for Law and order S17E17 - Good Faith

(male announcer)
In the criminal justice system,

the people are represented
by two separate

yet equally important groups--

the police
who investigate crime

and the district attorneys
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

(Paul)
Debbie, I don't wanna
get into it with you right now.

I called for Katie.

I got a right
to talk to her, Deb.

She's my daughter too.

No, I am not drunk
right now.

Oh, listen.
Would you--

Would you shut up
for a second?

This is the last time
I'm gonna talk to her, okay?

All I want to do
is say good night to my kid,

all right?

I'm in hell already!

(Fire Marshal Woods)
New redemption.
Another church.

(Cassady)
That's, what,
four churches in a week?

(Woods)
This makes five.

(Green)
Who called it in?

Guy staying
at the fleabag next door.

Says he didn't see anyone
leaving the scene.

(Cassady)
We're gonna need
to speak to him.

He's in Bellevue
for smoke inhalation.

Helped evac the hotel
after he called
911.

What time was the call?

Right after 11:00.

Fire must have started
just
before.

Wood pews, old carpet.

With an accelerant,
the place went up real fast.

Just like the other ones.

Except this time our fire bug
graduated to
murder.

What you got, man?

(Assistant M.E. Sharlett)
Not much.

Apparent male victim.
Crispy critter.

(Cassady)
Looks like he put up a fight.

Well, that's called
a pugilistic attitude.

The heat contracts
the arm muscles.

It's typical.

Did you get an I.D.?

His wallet melted
into a hockey puck.

With his hands that cooked,
prints are a long shot.

Might get lucky
with dental records.

Fire was the cause
of death?

It's too soon
to
tell.

We'll know more when
we get him on the table.

Thanks.

Imagine our victim
saying his Hail Marys,

and the place goes up.

Or he saw somebody pouring gas
on the altar and got caught.

Whoever did this
is gonna burn too.

five points of origin
at least,

including where
the body dropped.

You can still smell
the accelerant.

(Green)
Do you know what
the accelerant was?

Not till we run the labs.

Pretty intense blaze.
Probably
gasoline.

So other than
our victim here,

all these church burnings
had the same M.O.

Forcible entry with a gasoline
fire in the sanctuary.

And this one?

Looks the same
so
far.

The caretaker of the church

said that when he locked up
at 10:30, it was empty.

So maybe our DOA
is the arsonist?

One of 'em, at least.

We're looking
at multiple suspects.

We pulled this off

a pole camera near
the third
fire.

Trinity Lutheran
in Washington Heights.

Our victim could be
either one of these dudes.

We also have a witness
from the first
fire

who thinks she saw a black SUV
fleeing the scene.

No plate, but it had
a dented front left fender

and some kind of
bumper sticker on the tail.

Well, the commissioner's doing
a press conference at noon.

Let's put this out there
and see if any tips come in.

Sure. I'll keep you apprised
of any progress on our end.

Excellent.

Hey, Lieu, canvass
is a bust so far.

911 caller
saw nothing but flames.

And others I talked to

said the block
gets pretty quiet after 10:00.

Streets are empty.

Well, let's get Rodgers
to make a quick I.D.

We can start from there.

All right,
in the meantime,

see if these churches
have anything in common.

(Pastor Shea)
Religion is under attack
in this country.

The war on Christmas,
gay marriage--

Look, I can understand
your frustration, Pastor, but--

Don't dismiss it.

They've already removed
prayer from our schools.

The Ten Commandments are gone
from our courthouses.

Burning churches
is the inevitable next step.

Okay, right now
we need to focus

on catching the people
that set this fire.

So do you recognize
either of them?

No. But we had a lot
of people here last night.

We weren't aware that there
was a service last night.

We hosted a basketball game
against Christian Path Academy.

(Cassady)
What time
did that end?

Everyone was gone
by 9:30.

[cell phone beeps]

We're gonna need contact
names for both teams.

M.E.'s got something.

One finger on his left hand
didn't get the full broil,

so we were able to get
a partial print.

Enough for an I.D.?

Charles Nash.

New York public schools
had him on file.

Photo's a few years old.

He's a schoolteacher.

And a possible
arsonist?

I doubt it.

Multiple skull fractures

consistent
with blunt force trauma.

No soot in his airways.

No carbon monoxide
in his blood.

So he was dead
before he was burned.

Hmm.

(Cassady)
Nash is the coach
for the visiting team

that played at the church--
Christian Path Academy,

a parochial school
on the west side.

He also taught
biology there.

Well, the fire didn't start
until around 11:00.

Why would he be there
that
late?

Well, game didn't wrap
till 9:30,

and the other coach said Nash
was still packing up

when he left at 10:00.

So what, you think Nash

caught the arsonists
in the act

and tried to intervene?

Well, M.E. said
he got hit pretty hard

on the face and head.

Suggests
some kind of struggle.

(Green)
Hey!

Nash rents an apartment
in the East Village.

The super says he lived with
a girl named Kristin Saunders.

Girlfriend?
Yeah.

Guess she's wondering why

he didn't come home
last night.

(Kristen)
Are you saying

he burned?

Alive?

(Green)
We don't think so.

It looks like
he fought somebody

before the fire.

Those church arsons?

(Cassady)
They could be related.

Unless Charlie was having
some trouble with anyone?

No.

Any problems at work?

Charlie didn't see problems.

He was very passionate
about his
work.

[cell phone rings]

Did he get along
with the other teachers?

Mm-hmm.
Cassady.

And the kids.

He said that they were
really responding to him.

Why would somebody
want to burn a church?

(Green)
Again, we're really sorry.

And, uh...

if you can think of
anything else,

give us a call, all right?

Anything.

Uniform thinks
they've located the vehicle.

(male uniform)
Black, dented fender,

bumper sticker,
but no plates.

And the VIN on the dash
was scratched out.

Did you check
on the doorjamb?

Yeah, and called it into
the DMV.

Uh, registered owner
is an Emily Ward,

44 years old.

Address
in Poughkeepsie.

And she's into death metal?

Was it reported stolen?

Nope.

Ugh. You smell
that gas?

Uh, yeah.

Well, looks like
it's pretty well cleaned out.

Well, we found
the getaway car.

(Green)
Jason Ward.

Hey.
Detective Green.

This is my partner,
Detective Cassady.

Listen, you drive
your mom's SUV?

Yeah. Did you find it?

Right where
you left it.

No, my car was stolen
like a month ago.

You didn't
report it stolen.

And, uh,
who are you?

Todd.

I really like
that hoodie, Todd.

I think I've seen that
somewhere before.

I didn't report it stolen

'cause I knew
my dad would get pissed.

He didn't want me to bring it
in the city in the first place.

Um, thought something bad
would happen to it.

You got a parking ticket
on it last week.

And you paid for it.
With your credit card.

Had your name on it.

Come on.

This is crazy.
You got the wrong guys.

We found tire tread marks
at three of those church fires

that match your ride, bro.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Then let's start
with last night.

Where were you?

In the dorm studying.

Did anyone see you?

My roommate came by
with a couple of girls.

Please.
We didn't do this.

Get smart one more time, I'm
gonna smack the snot outta you.

Look, man--
No, you look,
you little bastard!

We're trying to help you.

Now drop your attitude
and show some respect.

We got five fires
and a body, Jason.

You better come up
with five alibis,

or we got you
by the balls.

Wha--ask around campus.

There's plenty of people
who'll tell you

they saw me
each one of those nights.

And after
we search their rooms

and find their bags of weed
and throw them in jail,

you still think
they'll lie for you then?

We didn't do anything.

We're not talking about
some arson charge here.

A man is dead, Todd.
You committed murder.

We had nothing to do
with that fire.

That fire?
What about the other four?

No, all of them.
I-it wasn't us.

Boy, if you lie to me
one more
time,

I'm walking out that door,

and any hope you got
walks out with me.

Last chance.

Who started
the first fire?

Jason.

Were you there?

Yeah.

A church.

How could you?

We were high
on a bunch of blow,

and we decided to burn one.

And it felt great,

so we decided
to do another one.

Did it feel good to kill
Charles Nash too?

That wasn't us.
Swear to God.

And Todd saw that on the news
and flipped out,

so we had to ditch our car.

Why the hell
should we believe you?

'Cause there's a guy
in the dorms that deals coke.

And we were partying
with him all night

and about...
five other people.

I want the names.
All of
them.

(Green)
Lieu.
Yeah.

Fire Marshal sent over
the lab results for site five.

The accelerant was turpentine,
not gasoline.

The last arson
was a copycat.

So we've got
our firebugs,

but if they're
telling the truth,

we're still looking for
a murderer.

.

Mr. Nash was a terrific
teacher and a great guy.

I still
can't believe this.

So this is a Catholic school?

We're a nondenominational
Christian academy.

Students of all beliefs
are welcome here.

Nash's girlfriend said

that he wasn't
much of a churchgoer.

Was that an issue
with him?

Not for teaching science.

Did he have
any problems here?

Nothing out of the ordinary.

A minor argument
with a teacher here,

an angry parent there.

Who's Jacob Reese?

Uh, Mary Reese's father.

She's a sophomore.

One of Nash's students?

Yes.

Well, it looks like he left
about four messages last wk.

Any idea why he was in
such a hurry to talk to Nash?

Yeah, my daughter
told me what happened.

I'm praying
for his family.

(Cassady)
You and Nash knew
each other, Mr. Reese?

Not really.
He was my kid's biology teacher.

Did you talk to him
recently?

A couple days ago about him
flunking Mary on a term paper.

Well, I imagine
you were pretty upset.

Well, yeah, Mary's smart.

I mean, tested off the charts
in middle school.

And I didn't want to see him

ruin her chances
at a scholarship.

Did you meet Nash
in
person?

Uh, yeah, at the school.

Yeah, how'd that go?

Oh, good.

He agreed to let Mary
do extra credit

to make up the grade.

We shook hands,
and that was that.

Any of the other parents
have a problem with Nash?

Not that I heard of.

Everyone's pretty nice.

You might want to take a look
at his personal life, though.

Now why would you say that?

Yeah, just rumors.
Booze, women.

I don't think he was
as straight-laced

as he wanted people
to believe.

[cell phone ringing]
Excuse me.

All right,
thanks, man.

Hey--thanks.

Looks like Reese might have been
right about Nash's wild side.

You got a hit
on the LUDS?
Yep, Allison Dale.

She called him three times
a day before he was murdered.

And?
She got two priors.

One for possession,
the other for solicitation.

Nice.

I wasn't screwing
Mr. Nash.

Then why were you
calling him, Allison?

Could you please not
say my real name?

My kid goes
to Christian Path, all right?

So you're just
a concerned parent?

I don't hook
or get high anymore.

I'm only doing this
to make tuition.

(Cassady)
That doesn't explain

why you have
Nash's cell phone.

It's on the contact sheet
for the basketball team.

My son Chris
plays point guard,

and he's really great too.

But Nash kept benching him

to give the weaker kids
a chance.

That's why you were
calling him,

to get your son
more playing time?
Yes.

Were you at your son's
basketball
game

the night of the murder?

I wish.
I was here.

Ask the bouncers
if you don't believe me.

Okay; can you think
of any reason

anybody would want
to hurt Mr. Nash?

You mean aside from that whole
intelligent design thing?

What are you talking about?

There was this big brouhaha
about three months back.

This parents' group

wanted creation science
taught in the classroom.

They wanted stickers
questioning evolution

added to the textbooks.

And Nash was against it.

Big time.

I hear he got into a shouting
match with a bunch of 'em

at a school board meeting.

Do you know how we can
get a hold of this group?

Yeah, Parents
for Honest Education.

Leader's name
is Claudia Murphy.

Look, i-if you talk to her,

please don't tell her
what I do.

Evolution is a theory,
not a fact.

All we're asking
is that our children be exposed

to all points of view.

Yeah, we heard that
some of your members

were "asking" Charles Nash
at the top of their lungs.

A few spirited debates,
nothing more.

Still, we're gonna
need a
list

of all the parents
in your group.

If you want to find
Nash's killer,

try looking into
his personal life.

There were rumors.
(Green)
We
did.

We need the list.

Well, I'm not going
to give it to you.

This is a religious
organization,

and I believe our members
have the right to privacy.

[school bell rings]

This is an intellectual
debate about school policy.

It's hardly grounds
for murder.

I don't think I need
to tell you this,

but people get a little crazy
about religion.

Not these people.

They're just parents

who are trying to do right
by their kids.

Please--

I don't want this
in the
papers.

Claudia Murphy.

She refused to give us
a list of the members.

You know any of the names
of the people in the group?

I don't have
that information.

But I do have the petition
that they
sent.

[opens drawer]

Look at the third name.

Jacob Reese.

He told us that he was
working on something with Nash

so that his daughter Mary
would get a passing grade.

Can you verify that?

[typing]

As of right now,

she still has
a failing grade.

Okay.

We need to talk to Mary.

Now.

The paper was supposed
to be about evolution,

and I wrote mine
on the evidence

for intelligent design.

Mr. Nash gave me an F.

How did your dad
feel about that?

He was worried
that it would

keep me out of college.

He tried to talk
to Mr. Nash,

but Nash wouldn't
change the grade.

It was no big deal.

(Cassady)
See, it actually is now,

because your dad said

that Mr. Nash was gonna
let you do extra credit.

Right.

I mean, he wouldn't
change the
grade

until I did
the extra credit.

He died before
I got the assignment.

So...

Where was your dad
the night Mr. Nash was killed?

He was home all night.

With me.
We were watching TV.

[cell phone rings]

(Green)
What were you
watching?

Just, um, flipping
through channels.

Your dad said
you were watching a movie.

Oh, yeah.
That's right.

You lied twice.

I don't recommend
you do it a third time.

Now, what's going on?

Uh, I wanna
see my dad.

Can you hold her
in your office,

and don't let her
use the
phone?

Come on, Mary.

[school bell rings]

Reese's cell phone
records show

two calls the night
of the murder.

Both hit off towers
near the crime scene.

Let's hope that's enough
to get a warrant.

Detectives.

We have a warrant
to search your apartment.
For what?

Why didn't you tell us

you called Charles Nash
the night he was killed?

I didn't, I must have
dialed a wrong number.

Can you explain why
you dialed the wrong number

all the way across town,

a block away from
where he was murdered?

I don't have to explain
anything.

(Cassady)
Yeah, you do.
Check this out, Ed.

Turpentine.

I use it for my business.
I restore furniture.

And to burn
the occasional church?

I would never do that.

Didn't anyone tell you
it's a sin to lie?

You're under arrest
for the murder of Charles Nash.

You have the right
tosilent.

Anything you say may be used
against you in a court of law.

People v.
Jacob Matthew Reese.

Charges are murder
in the second degree

and arson, third degree.

How does the defendant
please?

Not guilty,
Your Honor.

Bail, Ms. Rubirosa?

People seek remand,
Your Honor.

Mr. Reese
beat Charles Nash to death

and tried to cover up the crime
by burning a church.

(Rowen)
My client is the sole supporter
of his teenaged daughter.

He's not a flight
risk, Your Honor.

And the only evidence
against
him

is some turpentine he uses
in his work as a carpenter.

We also have proof
of animus.

The victim
was teaching evolution

to Mr. Reese's daughter
against his wishes.

(Rowen)
That doesn't make him
a religious zealot.

(Rubirosa)
This flyer was created

on the defendant's computer.

"Those who teach evolution
to our children

shall burn for their sins."

That's a reference
to God's judgment.

Or, more likely, a threat.

Copies were sent anonymously
to the victim

at his home
and at his classroom.

Mr. Reese can't take care of
his daughter from Rikers Island.

Bail set at 500,000.

[bangs gavel]

Do we really think this man
killed over a school curriculum?

Reese became
a born-again Christian

after his wife
died last year.

And he founded
a parents' group

that was in conflict
with Nash.

That doesn't make him
a murderer.

Yeah, but there have
been extremists

that targeted
abortion providers.

Well, why not evolution
teachers?

I'm not saying
it's impossible,

but the person
you're describing

doesn't sound like
the same person

who'd set fire
to a church.

Is there any other reason

Reese would go after
his daughter's teacher?

I'm meeting with Mary's
guidance counselor

this afternoon.

It's so sad
about Mr. Nash.

I understand you were close
with the Reese family.

Well, when Mary
transferred here,

it was just after
they'd lost Mrs. Reese.

Mary and her father were having
a pretty tough go of
it.

You know,
Jacob's a good man.

I can't believe
he did this.

So you think
he's guilty.

No, I mean, I think
that's for a jury to decide.

Did Mary ever say
anything to
you

about her father and Mr. Nash
having
problems?

I'm not entirely comfortable
with this.

These students
come to me in confidence.

I'm sure that you're aware
there is no privilege

protecting
what she told you.

You'd subpoena me?

I don't want to,
Mr. Thornton,

but one of your colleagues
was murdered.

If you know something,

it's your responsibility
to come forward.

I promised her
I wouldn't say anything, but...

a few months
before this happened,

Mary told me that Nash
was hitting on her.

And you didn't
report it?

Mary begged me not to.

She said it was her fault,
that she'd flirted with him.

Considering the rumors
about Nash and women,

he could have manipulated her
into thinking that.

Did anything actually
happen between
them?

She wouldn't tell me.

But that was the last time
she came in to see me.

Nothing happened
with Mr. Nash.

(Rubirosa)
You told Mr. Thornton

that he had made
advances towards you.

I never said that.

Or maybe you're not
telling us the truth

to protect your father.

My father
didn't kill him.

But he was angry at Mr. Nash.

Because of the evolution
stuff that he taught us.

Or was it because
you told him

that you were having sex
with Mr. Nash?

No!

Mind if I crash your little
arm-twisting party?

What are you doing here,
Danielle?

I'm now the counsel
of record for Jacob Reese.

And I don't want you
talking to the people

who are trying to put
your father in
jail.

I can ask her
the same questions

in the grand jury.

You do that.

Time to go back
to class now, honey.

(Reese)
Trying to turn a child
against her father.

This is how
you seek justice.

(McCoy)
You're in no position

to lecture on morality,
Mr. Reese.

Boys, boys.

What are we doing here,
Jack?

You tell me.

He'll plead to the arson
to cover all charges.

Not a chance.

I feel terrible about what
happened to that church.

I'm trying to do
the right thing.

Then take responsibility
for murdering Charles Nash.

Our case against
your client

is getting stronger.

We have reason to believe

that the victim was having sex
with Mr. Reese's
daughter.

That is a lie.
That is a--

[whispering]
Jacob.

(McCoy)
So all this talk about
Charles
Darwin

and the school curriculum
is entirely beside the point.

(Melnick)
Not exactly.

We're asserting
a justification defense.

He's admitting
to the murder.

It's not murder
if you're trying

to save the life
of a third party.

In this case, his daughter.

Nash was attacking
Mary.
Mm-hmm.

We have two witnesses
who put Mary at home

while Reese
was out killing him.

(Melnick)
She doesn't have to be
physically
present

to be in jeopardy.

So how could her life
possibly be in danger?

What was the threat?

Divine retribution.

Excuse me?

Like many Americans,

Jacob Reese believes
in an all-powerful God

who punishes nonbelievers.

(Reese)
He didn't hesitate

to turn Lot's wife
into a pillar of salt.

Are you serious?

In my client's eyes,

Nash was placing his daughter
in mortal danger

by teaching her evolution.

So you're claiming
that Jacob
Reese

had to kill Charles Nash...

to protect his daughter
from the wrath of God?

That's what he believes.

(Rubirosa)
The law requires

that he perceive
a physical threat,

not just imagine one.

My faith is not imaginary.

This is preposterous,
Danielle.

This will never see
the light of day.

(Judge Glover)
Divine retribution?

You can't be serious,
Ms. Melnick.

Your Honor,
the justification statute

permits the use
of deadly force

in the defense
of another person.

From the threat of deadly
physical
force

that's both real
and immediate.

(Melnick)
Jacob Reese perceived
exactly that.

By threatening
his daughter's faith,

Nash was placing her
in imminent danger

of serious bodily injury.

From what,
a bolt of lightning?

Your Honor,
my client believes

that an act of God could have
struck his daughter down

at any moment
if Nash wasn't stopped.

Stopped from teaching her
about evolution

or stopped from having sex
with her?

If Mr. McCoy has any proof
that they were intimate,

let's see it.

Even if you bought
their twisted logic,

it's only an argument for
justification of killing God,

not Charles Nash.

(Melnick)
In my client's eyes,

Nash was the driving force

pushing Mary
towards God's reproach

as surely as if he were
pushing her off a cliff.

What about the fact
that the defendant

burned down a church
to cover up his righteous act?

The People v. Flores.

"An attempt to conceal a crime

does not prohibit the assertion
of a justification defense."

(McCoy)
In this case,

it demonstrates
that the defense

is a complete fraud.

That's for the jury
to decide.

(McCoy)
How does the defense

expect to prove
this fairy tale?

By establishing Jacob Reese's
profound religious faith.

So we're just supposed
to take his word for it.

(Melnick)
The United States
Supreme Court has held

that the First Amendment
prohibits the courts

from determining the validity
of religious beliefs.

Men may believe
what they cannot prove.

U.S. v. Ballard.

It's a subjective
standard, Mr. McCoy.

You and I may not
believe it's reasonable,

but if the defense can establish
Mr. Reese does--

Then it's the basis
for an insanity defense,

not justification.

Perhaps,
but unfortunately,

you can't dictate strategy
to Ms. Melnick.

You're going to allow this,
Your Honor?

Well, who am I to say
that the defendant's

literal belief
in biblical retribution

is not reasonable?

You're a judge
in a court of law.

And you're out of line,
Counselor.

If Mr. Reese
can convince a jury

that this was truly
his state of mind

at the time of the homicide,

then let them decide if
this justifies what he did.

In that case,
I move for a 730 exam.

Fine.

What does that mean?

He's claiming that you're not
mentally fit to stand trial.

That I'm crazy?

Because I believe in God

and his power to punish
sinners and heretics?

Because the defendant
is so deluded

with religious mythology
that he can't mount

a responsible defense
for himself.

Your Honor, that is
straight out of Karl Marx.

You can't possibly grant
that application.

Your unconventional defense
opened the door, Ms. Melnick.

I want a psych workup
on the defendant.

And I'll hold a hearing
on his competency.

[bangs gavel]

Who's winning,
the Christians or the lions?

Who are you,

and what have you done
with Danielle Melnick?

The First Amendment isn't
just about free speech, Jack.

It also protects
religious practice.

And on that pretext,

you'd turn a courtroom
into Alice in Wonderland?

Oh, come on, Jack.

Don't you think that I realize
what this sounds like?

Then why sign on?

I suggested
ten other options.

This was the only defense
he would endorse.

And I believe
he believes it.

Then maybe you need
a 730 exam.

Look, a jury may laugh this
out of the courtroom,

but you have to allow
the argument.

The minute you start
challenging its veracity,

you're--you're making
dangerous value judgments.

If faith is an excuse
for murder,

then let's just give
a free pass

to Osama Bin Laden.

It is not
the government's place

to tell people what they can
and cannot believe.

But you're not protecting
Jacob Reese's religious choice.

You're helping him
hide behind it.

Maybe it's self-delusion
on his part.

Or maybe it's faith.

Or maybe it doesn't have
anything to do

with religious principle
at all,

and the man just snapped.

So let's call it
what it is--

a Hail Mary.

You know,

not everybody thinks
this is such a joke.

Tomorrow's Daily News
just hit the stands.

(McCoy)
Hmm.

Good night
and God bless, Jack.

to argue faith
instead of the facts."

Got to admit,
it's pretty savvy.

And Judge Glover
should be removed

from the bench
for allowing it.

But she didn't,
and it's up to us to stop it.

Well, why don't we just
attack it in front of the jury

instead of challenging
Reese's competency?

Because if Reese
sincerely thinks

that God was gonna
strike his daughter dead,

I'm not sure he is actually
fit to stand trial.

Yeah, but we come off
saying that he's crazy

because he literally believes
in biblical retribution--

that plays right into
Melnick's
hands.

(Branch)
Does it?

I'd think people of faith
would resent the fact

that this guy's trying
to hide behind religion.

(McCoy)
And as far as we know,

Reese really killed
Charles Nash

because he was having sex
with his daughter.

I haven't found anything
to support that.

As far as I can tell,
the rumors about Nash

were started by Reese
and this parents' group.

Well, even if they were true,
Reese can still claim

he's protecting the girl
from God's vengeance.

(McCoy)
That's why I'm not
backing down.

If we win on the 730 issue,

Danielle will be forced
to withdraw the defense.

(Reese)
After my wife died,

I was born again
through Christ.

I had a religious awakening,
not a psychotic break.

But tell me--
you did kill Charles Nash.

I had no choice.

He was leading
my daughter astray,

destroying her faith.

(Melnick)
Why didn't you just put her

in a different school?

I'd already spent
my entire life savings

to get Mary into
this Christian school

where she'd be safe
from Godless theories.

When I found out
what Nash was teaching her,

I joined a parents' group,

we complained.

But the administration wouldn't
even consider firing him.

And when that didn't work?

I met with Nash,
and I begged him to stop.

He said he wouldn't.

That he'd keep trying
to convince Mary

that Darwin was right
and the Bible was wrong.

(Melnick)
And what did you think
would happen

if Mary lost her faith?

She'd be hurt somehow.

Maybe even die.

Why did you believe that?

"He who believes in the Son
has eternal life.

"But he who does not
obey the Son

"will not see life;

but the wrath of God
abides on him."

John 3:36.

God could have punished
Mary's lack of
fait

at any moment.

And you do understand
what you're doing here,

why you're going to be
put on trial?

I took a life, and for that,
I'll always be sorry.

But I believe
it was the only way

to protect my daughter.

I'm a lapsed Catholic,
Mr. Reese.

Care to explain why
I haven't burst into flames?

Objection, Your Honor.

Goes to competency, Judge.

Logical inconsistencies

are evidence
of the magical thinking

associated with many forms
of schizophrenia.

Fine, Counselor.

Let's try it
without the sarcasm.

Since God has allowed millions
of nonbelievers to live,

Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs,

what made you so certain

that he was going
to hurt your daughter?

He wrote warnings
in the Bible

for everyone to read.

But you, personally--

did you ever hear a voice,

have a vision?

No.

Not even on the night

that you killed Mr. Nash?

I don't hallucinate.

Then how did you know
Mary would be hurt?

Because I'd seen it before.

My wife...

committed adultery.

One week later,

she was diagnosed
with leukemia

and given six months to live.

She was dead in two.

And you see these two
unconnected events

as a sign from God.

[sighs]

AIDS doesn't target
homosexuals and fornicators

by sheer dumb luck.

Hurricane Katrina
didn't wipe out New Orleans

by chance.

(McCoy)
You feared that a hurricane

might strike your daughter,
Mr. Reese.

Of course not.

But she could fall ill,
get hit by a stray bullet.

Get run over by a car.

These things happen
every day, Mr. McCoy.

I believe they happen
for a reason.

And despite
the million ways

you could have dealt
with this situation,

you believed bashing in
Charles Nash's skull

was the only way
to stop a stray bullet

from striking your daughter.

Can you prove
that it wasn't?

The fact that I believe this

doesn't make me crazy,
Mr. McCoy.

It makes me a Christian.

I had a really hard time

after my mom died
last
year.

But my dad made sure
I went to school,

and he got us both counseling
through our
church.

And how did your father
deal with his grief?

Well, he cried a lot.

And prayed.

I guess that's when
he got more religious.

And how did that
affect his life, Mary?

Well, he became
a better dad.

He went into business
for
himself

so he could spend
more time with me.

And how about recently?

Does your dad ever say
or do anything

that you might consider
strange?

Does he seem like
he doesn't know where he is?

Never.

Has he ever given
any indication

that he doesn't understand
what's going on?

No.

Thank you.

How many times a day
does your father pray,

Miss Reese?

Before or after
my mom died?

Both.

Well...

before, we just
went to church on Sundays.

But after, he would read
from the Bible every night.

And he made me
do it too.

You didn't want
to join him?

No, I did.

You testified that your father
never said anything strange.

This is an email
that he sent you

two weeks before the murder.

Please read
the highlighted portion.

"Demons surround you
at all times, Mary,

"waiting to drag you
into sin.

"A single misstep
could send you

into the same hellfire
that burned your mother."

Demons and hellfire--

none of that
sounds strange to you?

He's really religious, okay?

But he's not insane.

(McCoy)
How about the night

that he killed Mr. Nash?

Did your father
seem normal then?

Yeah.

He just got upset.

About what?

Well, when I got home
from my appointment

with my guidance counselor,

I told him what Mr. Nash
said in school that day,

and that because of Mr. Nash,

I was starting
to question my faith.

How upset did
your father get,

Miss Reese?

Well, he got pretty mad.

But it's not like
he lost his mind.

I know you don't
understand this,

but I'm telling you,
he's not crazy.

(McCoyDr. Olivet
Dhasn't written her report,

but she thinks that he is
a fervently religious man

who is clearly competent
to stand trial.

I don't doubt
his fervor.

You know, Mary Reese may have
given us a gift in there.

She testified that she went
to see her guidance counselor

the day of the murder.

But the counselor told me

she stopped going
months before that.

Thornton got
his dates confused.

We'll check him out.

I'm sorry, I've already
told you everything I know.

I'm not so sure that's true,
Mr. Thornton.

What was the nature of your
relationship with Mary Reese?

I'm her guidance
counselor.

Really?

Because the doorman
at your building

said Mary was getting a lot
of guidance in your apartment.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Statutory rape.

Nash was the one
having sex with Mary.

She came to me
for counseling.

(Rubirosa)
We did some checking.

Three days before
the murder,

you shelled out $200
to the Westside Women's Center.

We're guessing you weren't the
one who needed a gynecologist.

Mary was there
because of Nash.

I was just helping her.

I'm sure you were.

You were both taking

identical doses
of antibiotics.

Please...

I swear I never did
anything like this before.

Tell us what happened.

Mary's father was really
messing her up

with all the religion.

After she lost her mom,
Mary needed a father,

but Jacob just withdrew
into his Bible.

I was the only person
who really
listened

to how Mary was feeling.

And then you took
advantage of her trust.

I made a mistake.

One day,
I let it go to a place

that I shouldn't have.

I'm sorry.

Mary, can we have
a word with you?

I'm not supposed
to talk to you.

Walk away if you want to,

or maybe you just want
to stop and listen.

The day Charles Nash
was murdered,

you were diagnosed
with chlamydia.

Luke Thornton
has agreed to testify

at your father's trial

if we agree not
to prosecute him

for having sex with you.

We can prove that you lied
under oath, Mary.

You could go
to juvenile detention.

Good.

I'll need somewhere to live
after you lock my dad up.

This isn't a joke.

There are serious consequences
to your actions.

You think
I don't know that?

A year of fire
and brimstone.

You guys think I don't
wake up every morning

knowing that I'm going
to
hell?

What is my daughter
doing here?

Maybe you should ask her.

Do you really want
your father

to spend the rest
of his life in prison

without knowing the truth?

Okay.

Enough games.

What do you got, Jack?

Your client won't believe it
coming from me.

He needs to hear it
from his daughter.

What are they
talking about?

Nothing.
I don't know.

Don't lie to me!

(McCoy)
If your daughter

refuses to tell the truth,

we'll have no choice but
to prosecute her for perjury

and as an accessory
for murder.

Accessory?
Based on what?

Mary had nothing
to do with this.

I went after Nash because
he was teaching her evolution.

She wasn't only learning
about evolution.

Jacob, you'd better tell me
what's going on,

or you're looking for
a new lawyer.

This doesn't change
anything.

Her disease was just
the beginning of God's wrath.

(McCoy)
You can make
that transparent argument

in court, Mr. Reese.

But the only thing
the jury will see

is that you killed a man

because he was having sex
with your daughter.

Nash.
Nash led her into sin.

Charles Nash never had sex
with your daughter, Mr. Reese.

Did he, Mary?

Mary.

When you found
the pills,

you just go so mad.

And you kept
screaming at me

that I was gonna
burn in hell

and asking
who desecrated me.

I just said the first name
that I could think of.

And I didn't want
to get Mr. Thornton in trouble.

You told me it was Nash.

I was...

I was just trying
to protect my daughter.

So you broke
the fifth commandment.

You not only killed,

you killed
the wrong man.

Please...

I don't want Mary
to be punished for this.

Then plead
to all the charges.

So what kind of sentence
are you looking for, Jack?

Murder, burning down
a church to cover it up--

25 to life.

Well, that's a long time.

You were manipulated,
Danielle.

It was the right principle,
Jack, just the wrong client.

I'll take that
as a confession of error.

How long has it been
since your last confession?

I won't be doing any penance
for Jacob Reese.

"Happy is the man who brings
justice to the oppressed."

Isaiah.

See you around, Jack.

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